✊🏼 London's strikers return

IN-THE-INBOX: 2-MINS

There are FOUR home London fixtures this weekend. Might finally get to see a couple of the strikers out and about in the capital this week. 😉

But first — we’ve got a tip in tonight’s Championship game between Ipswich and Sheffield. Something to warm the cockles before the Prem returns.

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🗓️ Friday 12th September

1. The Big Facts: Merino’s pulled the wool over our eyes 👀 

2. The Big Tips: Man City vs Man United 💰

3. The Big Funnies: No Spurs employees allowed! ❌

P.S. A friend at Trivela is running a free to play 1st-20th Premier League predictor game, with loads of prizes. Separately, Trivela FC are on a mission to help kids who struggle with maths. We’ll be supporting their mission throughout the year, so if you’ve got kids, keep an eye out. Enter the game here.

THE BIG FACTS

Pub Ammo

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Spurs have provided 80 players to represent England at senior international level, more than any other team.

🧓 James Milner’s spot kick vs Man City made him the oldest penalty scorer in PL history at 39 years and 239 days. The keeper he scored it against, James Trafford, was born exactly one month before Milner’s PL debut back in 2002.

🤯 Aston Villa have failed to score in their first three PL games despite taking as many shots as league leaders Liverpool (33).

🐦‍🔥 Liverpool’s 1-0 win against Arsenal saw their first direct free-kick winning goal in the Prem since Gerrard at Villa Park in 2007.

⚽️ The aggregate score in Premier League Manchester Derbies is City 81 vs 79 United.

🇦🇷 Enzo Fernández has more goal involvements (16) than Dominic Szoboszlai (14), Martin Ødegaard (11) and Alexis Mac Allister (11) since the start of last season.

👕 Man City lost two of their first three Premier League games for the first time since 2004/05.

🇪🇸 Mikel Merino, fresh off an International hat-trick, now has 19 G/A for club and country in 2025, seven more than Cole Palmer. Someone said he was a DM?!

Find him in the graphic below! 👇

THE BIG TIPS

Ip-switching it up

3 points win
Ipswich to beat Sheffield United
☞ 17/20
💭 Ipswich should now have their new team ready to quickly move up the table and will be expecting to see off a Blades team that have deservedly lost 5 from 5 this season.

2 points win
Watford to beat Blackburn
☞ 5/4
💭 Blackburn, not in great shape in any case, have lost their two starting centre-backs (sold to Wrexham and suspended) for this tough awayday at improving Watford.

2 points win
Man City to beat Man United
☞ 4/5
💭 City’s stock has fallen somewhat but they now have the world’s best goalkeeper, Rodri is back and if Fulham, Burnley and Grimsby can show that Man Utd remain easy to create chances against, then City can too.

✍️ Tipping Record | GambleAware.org 18+

THE BIG FUNNIES

A decent judge

👨‍⚖️ Tax Levy. An employment judge has ruled that employers can reject a candidate if their support for a rival football team could disrupt office vibes (using an office full of Gooners not hiring a Spurs fan as his example).

We suspect Daniel Levy won’t be doing the reverse Vinai Venkatesham and turning up at Highbury House with his CV. Full story.

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🇦🇺 Always in his first season? New Forest boss Ange Postecoglu was quizzed about his famous record of winning trophies in his second season.

In reply, the bold Aussie said he may have to win one in his first season to have a chance at being here next year. Looks like he didn’t get the memo from Nuno about not speaking about the owner’s tendencies in public! Watch the video.

THE SOFA SCHEDULE

SATURDAY
12:30 Arsenal vs Forest | TNT Sports 1
17:30  West Ham vs Chelsea | Sky Sports
20:00 Brentford vs Spurs | Sky Sports

SUNDAY
14:00 Burnley vs Liverpool | Sky Sports
16:30 Man City vs Man United | Sky Sports

THE BIG REVIEW